Warren Beatty to Write, Direct, and Star in Untitled Comedy for Paramount

A decade has passed since Warren Beatty’s last appeared on screen in Town & Country. Last week at the Hero Complex Film Festival, Beatty brought up the possibility of a Dick Tracy sequel — but the skeptics outnumber the faithful 20 to 1 on that claim. The Dick Tracy comment at least demonstrated Beatty’s disinterest in retirement. Moreover, Beatty has reportedly been shopping around an original screenplay for the past couple weeks. Tonight Paramount announced a deal with Beatty to produced, direct, and star in the untitled project. Paramount declined to reveal story details — Variety hints it may be the Howard Hughes movie that Beatty has “long wanted to do,” yet Deadline refers to the project as a comedy. (Not sure what to make of that. If Dick Tracy fought Howard Hughes, that would be funny, right?)

Casting is currently underway; production is scheduled for later this year. As someone who always wondered why follow the last stage of the Clint Eastwood career arc, I’d like to say, “Welcome back, Mr. Beatty. Godspeed.”